Kia is examining the possibility of a performance variant and SUV offshoot of the recently revealed 2017 Rio range, with at least the latter a very real possibility.
Speaking to CarAdvice at last week’s Paris motor show, Kia Motors Europe’s chief operating officer, Michael Cole, said that while there are no plans for the hot hatch Kia Rio GT for the moment, a styling-focused GT Line model will likely start the process first...

The all-new 2017 Kia Rio has gained a suspension upgrade for the Australian market thanks to the brand’s local tuning expertise and insistence on delivering a car fit for the market.
Kia Motors had initially given Australian-specified Rios a more basic suspension damper setup but Kia Australia pressured the factory to equip the Rio with its RS dampers, which allow for better tuning...

Initial Australian specifications for the all-new 2017 Kia Rio range have been confirmed today, including drivetrain and variant line-up, before it launches here in early 2017.
With the fourth-generation Kia Rio having officially launched at the Paris Motor show today, Kia Australia has confirmed that it will initially take one engine and three variants of the model before additional variants of the South Korean company’s new light car launch by the middle of next year...

Key details of the new 2017 Kia Rio have been revealed for the European market, giving an indication of what we can expect when the new hatch arrives Down Under early next year.
The all-new Rio was first revealed a fortnight ago, adopting a more premium, less cutesy look than its predecessor...

A speculative rendering of a hotted-up 2017 Kia Rio GT has surfaced online, offering one vision of how a hotted-up - but still to be confirmed - version of the all-new Rio could look.
Created by independent artist X-Tomi Design, the Kia Rio GT borrows several styling cues from its larger Optima GT and Sportage GT-Line (Platinum) siblings, giving the hatch a very athletic look...

The wraps have come off the 2017 Kia Rio five-door hatch today, a month out from its global debut at this year's Paris motor show.
For this all-new generation of Rio, Kia has returned its light hatch to a more conventional two-box design, moving closer to the traditional hatch shape...

A set of fresh new teaser sketches for the upcoming 2017 Kia Rio has been handed down today, just hours after revealing spy photos first hit the wire.
As those earlier shots hinted and these new sketches confirm, the face of the new 2017 Rio will borrow design cues from its larger Optima stablemate...

The all-new 2017 Kia Rio has been spied testing once more, this time with a far lighter layer of camouflage at the front end revealing a good deal more of the hatch's finer details.
Last spied in January, the new Rio is expected to debut later this year or early in 2017 as a timely replacement for the current third-generation model that first appeared at the 2011 Geneva motor show...

It’s time for the latest instalment of Deals on Wheels, which this week looks at five factory-backed special offers for all you weekend shoppers.
This isn’t a promotional campaign, just us trying to offer you some interesting suggestions if you’re in the market for some new wheels.
Volvo XC90 D5 Momentum
The lauded Volvo XC90 is already the subject of factory-backed deals...

It’s time for the latest instalment of Deals on Wheels, which looks at six factory-backed special offers for all you weekend shoppers.
This isn’t a promotional campaign, just us trying to offer you some interesting suggestions if you’re in the market for some new wheels.
Holden Astra VXR
As you can read in our comparison review with the Ford Focus ST, we really rate the Astra VXR...

Kia appears to be hitting its stride in Australia in 2015, given its annual growth rate of almost 20 per cent, or five times the market-wide figure. It was up 36 per cent in November alone.
The Korean brand, which has been garnering critical respect for a number of years now, has nevertheless stagnated in sales over the past few years while sister company Hyundai has boomed...